Thunder in the Night
by emjem18
Summary: Kara's still afraid of thunder sometimes because it reminds her of everything she's lost.


**Hello! I'm a little nervous about posting this but I've become so obsessed with Supergirl/Alex and Kara in general that I can't stop myself from writing all these nonsensical one shots with these two. I love their dynamic so much. Sorry if this is kind of all over the place. I think my brain was too excited to write and my fingers couldn't keep up with it as I wrote it today.**

 **This would take place some time in 1x08 after Kara had that conversation with Astra so there's slight spoilers in it. I hope you enjoy it!**

She's being ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.

And that's exactly what Alex tells her when she comes haphazardly stumbling through the front door, bleary eyed and heavily annoyed. She's clearly been woken up from a nice dream where she's on her honeymoon with George Clooney at his villa in Tuscany.

"What?" Alex rasps, her voice laden with sleep, "do you want?"

 _Boom_. A loud clap of thunder rattles the walls within the apartment, followed by a bolt of lightning crackling vehemently. Kara closes her eyes as the sparks sizzle like fireworks.

Alex puts two and two together. "It's just thunder, Kara."

Kara pouts to herself, holding her knees up to her chest as she refuses to budge from her spot against the wall near the bed. Alex hovers over her in slight amusement, trying to conceal a laugh by biting her lip. Kara wants nothing more to scream and yell at her sister that it's not just thunder. It's unearthing painful memories from Krypton. The loud blasts remind her of the bombs, the carnage, the absolute turmoil of her home planet until it met its ultimate demise and wiped out her entire entity.

So it's not _just_ thunder to Kara. She tries to muffle her whimpers when the thunder violently crashes yet again. It's been going on for close to three hours now. Surely it was supposed to be over by now. The rain begins to pick up speed and pitter-patters down on the roof. Sometimes living on the top floor has its perks; this, however, is not one of them.

"Kara," Alex tries again. This time, her voice is softly laced with care and concern. She fully realizes what's going on in her sister's head. "I'm sorry."

"No," Kara says robotically, staring straight ahead at the dimly lit living room. She refuses to look at Alex when she bends down next to her. "It's just thunder," she mocks in her best Alex voice.

Despite the horrible impression, Alex chuckles. "That doesn't sound anything like me."

Kara flinches at the lightning and wants to shroud herself in the protective blankets of her bed and block out every sound shrieking outside. She childishly covers her ears and frowns when it doesn't help.

Alex unfurls Kara's legs from her chest and drapes them across her lap to make room for the two of them. Being stuck in the corner isn't exactly the most comfortable position. But for now, Alex has to ignore the uncomfortable sensation of the radiator being pressed into her back for Kara's sake.

"Why are you scared of the thunder?" Alex asks genuinely. She peers at her sister and notices how much younger Kara really looks in her matching snowflake pajamas and top bun. It's really adorable. "You protect National City every day from villains and earthquakes and other nuisances. Hell, you shoot laser beams out of your eyes. The thunder isn't going to hurt you."

Kara just shakes her head and swipes at her tears. Upon hearing Alex's words, she feels stupid and childish and a bit annoyed.

Alex distinctly remembers the first thunderstorm they braved together. Kara had been on earth for approximately three days when it hit. Alex, more than used to the sound, continued her Science homework like nothing happened. Kara on the other hand, screamed like a banshee and hid under the bed for six hours. In that very moment, Alex had felt like a big sister. Granted, it took her all of 90 seconds to embrace her new role. It took Kara more time to get used to having a "sibling." She saw the way her mother and aunt behaved. It was something she didn't want happening.

"It's just the angels bowling," Alex told Kara like she first did years ago.

"It's the sound of my home planet exploding," Kara corrected, her voice shaking with anger and sadness.

Alex sighs and reaches for Kara's hand. "Kara-"

"No, no," Kara interrupts, sucking in her breath to stop herself from crying. "It's just thunder, Alex."

"I didn't mean to upset you."

Kara bites back her scream and just nods. "I'm sorry," she apologizes mournfully, her doe eyes sparkling with tears.

" _I'm_ sorry," Alex corrects with a smile, rubbing her sister's legs.

"S'okay," Kara just mumbles, crossing her arms and flinching slightly when the lightning illuminates the bedroom.

Alex stares at Kara sympathetically. "Do you want to watch _Homeland_?"

Normally when Alex tempts Kara with _Homeland_ , she can get her to do just about anything. But when Kara frantically shakes her head, she's at a loss. "You can't just hide in the corner all night. The storm's supposed to last a few more hours."

"What?" Kara shrieks.

Alex immediately looks regretful. "Hey, I'm here. I'll stay with you." She hugs Kara tightly when the younger girl finally leans forward with a slight sob.

"I'm being ridiculous," Kara squeaks against Alex's shoulder.

"Nah," Alex says reassuringly, rocking her sister back and forth. "You know what's ridiculous? You not wanting to watch _Homeland_."

Kara giggles and it's like music to Alex's ears. "I just don't think watching a political thriller will help right now. How about _Friends_?"

Alex can't hide her groan. She always hates herself for introducing Kara to _Friends_ when she was thirteen.

"We've seen _Friends_ at least a dozen times."

"So?" Kara doesn't see what's wrong with that. "The entire SERIES is on Netflix, Alex. We literally have over one hundred episodes to choose from."

"Yeah hundreds of episodes and yet I know you'll pick the same five ones. You always do."

Kara pulls back and stutters. "I, I do not!"

"Do too," Alex retorts like she's a teenager again. "You're a creature of habit, Kara. Always have been."

Kara stands up and effortlessly pulls Alex up with her. "And where do you think I got it from? Who do you think made me watch the same five episodes over and over again? Huh?"

"I don't know," Alex answers sheepishly, plopping down on the couch and wincing when Kara dives into her lap. "Ow," she groans. "Why do you sometimes forget you have super strength?"

"Sorry," Kara giggles cutely. She eases herself off her sister's lap and curls into the fetal position, her head resting comfortably in Alex's lap.

Alex leans forward and grabs the remote. "I'm picking the episodes."

"Fine," Kara sighs dramatically with a pout. "Pick a good one!" She tries to ignore the storm once more and relaxes when Alex unravels her bun and plays with her hair. It almost always calms her down.

Alex takes a good five minutes to pick an episode. The clicking sound is starting to annoy her more than the raging storm outside. Finally, Alex settles on "The One with the Prom Video."

Kara squeals in excitement; it's her absolute favorite.

"The second you start quoting lines before they happen I'm shutting it off," Alex warns after Kara's squeals die down. "I mean it this time."

"Okay," Kara snickers. Alex _always_ tells her that yet never follows through.

Despite having seen this episode dozens upon dozens of times, Kara laughs harder than usual. Alex thinks it's to compensate for the loud, thunderous sounds outside. Kara does this a lot; pretends like everything's going swimmingly until it builds up inside and spills out in a rage.

"Kara?" Alex begins softly.

Kara smiles from ear to ear when Rachel gets up to kiss Ross after she learns he was going to be her prom date after she's almost stood up. She grabs a fistful of Alex's pajama clad pant leg and sighs contently. "They're perfect."

"Kara?" Alex tries again, shaking her sister's shoulders. "Hello? Look at me."

"Huh?" Kara rolls over on her back and peers up at her sister innocently. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yes," Alex says with an eye roll. She purposely doesn't put on another episode and buries the remote in the side of the couch next to her. There's absolutely no way Kara's going to be able to get out of this now. "Are you always like this?"

Kara's eyes narrow in confusion. She flinches at the thunder. "L-like what?"

"This," Alex says, emphasizing her sister's fragile state with her hands. "I thought…I thought you were okay with thunderstorms now."

"Only sometimes," Kara whispers sadly. "I'm just…"

Alex sighs when Kara trails off hesitantly. She motions for her sister to sit up and turns her body a bit so they're facing one another. "It's okay to think about your mom still."

"It's not," Kara snaps, balling her hands into tight fists. She's desperately trying to curb her anger. She can't talk about it. Not now. Because it's all going to spill over and Alex was going to be on the receiving end of her rage. "I don't want to talk about this."

 _Boom_.

She thinks about Astra currently being held prisoner at the DEO. Is she telling the truth? Or is she trying to get back at her mother for what she did all those years ago? Kara slams her eyes shut and tries to block out the booming because it only flashes her mind to her mother pushing her in a pod and promising a better life.

But now that she knows the truth, the truth that _maybe_ her mother wasn't the greatest person she thought she was, it hurts to think about. It hurts to see the image of her "loving" mother tearfully waving goodbye as the pod jets briskly away before Krypton is blown to pieces.

Kara doesn't want or need Alex's sympathy. She blocks her ears and begs and pleads for the storm to stop. Now that the abysmal weather matches her mood, it only makes everything worse.

"Kara, look at me."

Kara refuses. She yelps when Alex grapples her hands away from her ears, making her vulnerable to the violent weather. "Stop!"

"Kara, it's okay."

"It's not okay!" Kara finally breaks. But she doesn't feel violent. She feels sad, pathetic. She feels empty. "She lied to me, Alex."

"You don't know that," Alex whispers sadly, biting back her own tears. She hates crying in front of Kara. "Astra could be lying."

"But she could be telling the truth," Kara points out hotly, her eyes never leaving the ground. She can't bear to look at her sister.

Alex takes a deep breath and is grateful when Kara allows her to hug her. The warm embrace from her sister is all it takes for Kara to finally let out the sob she's been suppressing all night. It's almost as loud as the thunder outside.

The elder girl feels her heart constrict. She feels absolutely helpless because there is no way she's able to find out the truth. After all, Alura's just a hologram. She's not really Kara's mother. Sometimes, it seems like Kara forgets that.

"You're okay," Alex promises Kara softly, rubbing her back soothingly when Kara's sobs finally begin to die down after a solid ten minutes. She smiles when her little sister sniffles and adorably rubs her tired eyes. "We're going to figure this out, Kara. I promise."

Kara automatically believes Alex. Her sister never ever makes promises she can't keep. "O-okay."

Alex begrudgingly hands Kara the remote. "You pick the next episode."

Kara's face lights up in excitement. "Yay!" she squeals in a nasally voice. She sniffles again and picks another episode they've seen lots of times before.

Alex groans but lets Kara watch anyway. It's the only thing that can keep her calm and take her mind off things. She smiles when Kara settles back down and rests her head back in her lap. "Predictable, predictable, predictable," she teases Kara, poking her stomach repeatedly.

Kara squirms with a slight scowl. "Stop!"

"If only the rest of National City could see Supergirl whining like the child she is."

"They'd find it adorable," Kara says matter-of-factly, tugging her pajama shirt back down.

"Okay," Alex snorts, laughing when Kara sits up and playfully shoves her. "If you keep abusing me I'm going home."

The smiles wipes off Kara's face immediately. "No!"

"I'm kidding," Alex promises, squeezing Kara's hands. "I'm here until you kick me out."

"Promise?" Kara's eyes are wide and so innocent.

Alex forces a smile and pats her sister's knee. "Yes, Kara. I promise."

"Do you _pinky_ swear?" Kara looks reminiscent of her thirteen-year-old self as she holds up her pinky for Alex.

" _I'll always protect you, Kara. I pinky swear._ "

 _Kara stares at Alex's outstretched pinky in utter confusion. "What's that?" She whimpers from under the bed at the thunder and closes her eyes._

" _It just a promise that can never be broken. Here, come out from under the bed and I'll show you."_

 _Kara is hesitant to leave the only safe place she's found on earth. "O-okay." She crawls forward and stares at Alex, wide-eyed and curious. "What do we do now?"_

" _Let me see your pinky," Alex instructs. She grabs Alex's free hand with her own and holds it through the continuous claps of thunder._

 _Kara holds up her pinky and watches Alex interlock their two fingers together._

" _There," the older girl smiles. "That's a pinky swear."_

Alex rolls her eyes and interlocks her pinky with Kara's just to please her sister. She can't help but smile when Kara sighs contently. After the eighth episode of _Friends_ , Alex feels her eyes getting heavy. "Okay. I'm going to bed."

Kara knows she can't protest. She shuts the TV off and practically bowls Alex over as she jumps onto the comfy bed and buries herself under the covers. "God, Kara, relax. I wasn't going to take your spot."

Kara can never sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door. Alex always thought it was ridiculous but never called her sister out on it. She probably had her reasons.

"I think the storm's almost over," Kara whispers tiredly, snuggling up to Alex and resting her head on her sister's chest. It's how she slept for the first week or two on earth. It made her feel safe and protected.

"Thank god," Alex mumbles. She knows she can't fall asleep until Kara is fast asleep herself. She rubs Kara's back in attempt to lull her to sleep faster. It's working until one last clap of thunder booms.

Kara immediately jumps up in bed. "Alex!" she whines, holding the covers tight to her chest. "I thought it was supposed to stop!"

"Do I look like a meteorologist?" Alex says in amusement. She pulls Kara back down and holds her tight "It has to stop sometime. Just go to sleep, Kara. You're safe."

" _You're safe, Kara. I promise. It's okay to go to sleep_."

Reluctantly, Kara closes her eyes and tightens her grip on her big sister. She can feel her sister wince at the tight hold but it's the only way she'll be able to sleep through the storm. Alex eases herself up a bit and rests her head against the wall, continuing to get her sister to sleep. She glances at the clock and sighs when it's close to 2:15 in the morning.

Alex stays like this for a good fifteen minutes. Kara's breathing is evening out and the younger girl is _finally_ fast asleep. Alex turns off the lamp on the bedside table and scoots under the covers. She tries not to groan when Kara stirs almost instantly.

"Alex?" Kara sounds so sleepy, it's adorable.

"Ssh," Alex whispers, patting Kara's head. "Go back to sleep."

"I felt you moving…"

"I'm not going anywhere," Alex promises for the umpteenth time. She kisses her sister's forehead and holds her tight again.

"I love you," Kara mutters tiredly, falling back asleep quickly.

"I know," Alex says with a smile. "I know. But you can take me to brunch tomorrow to prove _how_ much you love me."


End file.
